The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-12
The New South Is the Old.

Our Northern contemporaries are
amazed at the spectacle presented by the
New South This is the fault of their
blindness-the spectacle has been offered
to them since 1865. but having eyes they
saw not, and having ears they refused
to hear. We We're driven from the path
we had marked out for ourselves by
and shell and sword and fire had weak
ened us, and our unaccustomed feet trod
tremblingly the new path-brcthers who
should have reached supporting hands
ieered at us, and we were uncertain of
ourselves.
But the new air entered our lungs
misfortune strengthened us, as it always
does when nObly borne-dithculties at
home were put down with the desperate
determination which comes at the call of
desperate need, and after the first decade
we were at liberty toexpend our strength
i'll progression
For years all our energies were need
ed to earn bread and straighten affairs
at home. But the spirit was there-the
men who followed Lee had another
record to make, and they hare made IL.
If our brothers failed to admire the bud
they cannot ignore the beautiful flower
nor the splendid fruit. To the growth
now seen we have contributed blood and
thought and labOr-all our best is i'll the
fruit and we cannot be deprived IF its
enjoyment. We are proud of the result.
we contemplate with still greater pride
the unanimity of effort which has made
its early ripenmg possible; the obstacles
which hindered us are now only glorious
monuments to- our pluck, industry and
perseverance.
But let not our brothers think our pres
ent property has suddenly risen like the
gorgeous structures of Aladdins dream.
No magic lamp has been vouchsafed us.
Strong hand and glowing thought-the
courage of woman and her price
less treasure of loving heart, refused to
despair; men have worked, boys have ed
ucated themselves and these have require
mated the South. The seeds from which
have grown our present were planted and
tended in the darkest hours of the past
they were watered with tears, tended
in pain and privation and guarded at
peril to life and limb amid curses when
blessings and prayers were due The
harvest is seen of all men, but i'll the
heat of the day the laborers were few
and Northern capital came to- our aid
only when success was assured at the
eleventh hour.
We are rejoiced that the last laborer
is paid equally with those who have
borne the heat and burden of the work
we gladly take the Scriptures for our
guide. and we divide as in the parable.
But let justice be done-it is not only the
New South which is worthy of praise
South have quilted themselves like
men," and it is with tears of gratitude
for both present and past that we praise
our fathers for work as glorious, endur-
ing and great as any their children can
do. The South is one. indivisible, there
Il me- new nor w Nht W
whom the past and present are the same
whose Eye marks the seedtime as well
a. the harvest.
1t is not ours To- weigh the doubtful
elevation of one race against the humili-
alton of brother. There has been no
| degradation and the hand which drove
us from one pathway is now out
stretched to welcome a brother who has
become rival in the race on new
course. But the road only is new-not
| the man-nOr his feelings, his heart nor
his home. His reason has been over
borne by the logic of the sword and he
will tread steadfastly and contentedly
in the pathway of the future, trusting to
the same love of justice and of country
which guided him in the past.